


Quest for the crown

by TheEvilestOfTwins



Category: Armello (Video Game), Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, I mean slow, Like, Plot Twists, Slow Burn, Swordfighting, Violence, lots of death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-01-17 16:15:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12369411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEvilestOfTwins/pseuds/TheEvilestOfTwins
Summary: Judith Hopps hasnt been home in years, and is now returning to Armello to find it in chaos. Her homecoming is cut short when she's given the mission to deliver it from madness.The only caveat... she has to do it alongside the mammal she hates more than anything.A disclaimer that the only thing from zootopia in this is Nick and Judy, and nothing else. Sorry if it's a deal breaker.





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Hello people. This is a story I've been working on in my downtime when my life wasn't hectic and things weren't on fire. (It's more of a problem for me than you think.) Gonna disclaim one more time, this is closer to an Armello fanfic than a zootopia one. Nick and Judy are the only charcters coming from the movie and it takes place in the Armello universe.
> 
> Also, if you haven't played Armello and you enjoy either table top or strategy games, I super suggest it. Happy reading!

Armello.

A land that, more than anything, was beautiful. Locked in the middle of a mountain range that surrounded the whole country, everything an animal could ever need was within those boundaries. Be it fertile farmland, lush forests with bounty a-plenty, or yet more mountains that rose into the air, hiding untold treasures just waiting for someone to find them.

It was for all these reasons that many associated Armello with one other thing…

Civil war.

Civil strife had rocked Armello many a time, leaving it’s many inhabitants no stranger to a blade. The most recent of these conflicts had been a revolution of epic proportions. 

The reptilian Skithis dynasty, which had ruled Armello for hundreds of years, was laid low by an alliance of mammalian species, all banding together under the banner of one they would call king. That same lion still sits the throne, the war to give it to him now more than 50 years over.

That time had allowed the war-ravaged lands to heal and begin to bear crops anew. Many of those crops were being grown under the watchful eye of lord Ambros Hopps, patriarch of the rabbit clan and lord of the west.  His clan’s aid in the war as trusted tacticians and advisers to the future king had given them the holdings he oversaw. Namely the largest stretches of farmland in the kingdom and great sway with the king himself, influencing him to take a path for the greater good at all costs.

It was into this prestigious background that, 20 years ago, lady Judith Hopps was born. Being the first born of Ambros’ own, she was set on an immediate course of inheritance. She was to one day hold the fate of not only her clan but the future of all citizens of Armello in her paws.  For those reasons she had been schooled her whole life in the finer points of swordsmanship, history, medicine, science and math. And once she had learned all Armello had to offer, she was sent away for yet higher education, beyond the mountainous boundaries of her home.

Now, Judith was setting eyes on that home for the first time in years, having been gone for 3 of what had been meant to be a 5 year stay in the neighboring country Cedemia, well known for their colleges. She had been beckoned back home at the behest of an urgent letter received from her father via raven. No specifics were given, only that she must give all haste as she returned. 

Right now though, she was giving it anything but ‘all haste,’ as she sat leisurely on the side of a hill overlooking a valley below her. 

Her attention was not on the glorious view however, but on the ancient gold coin she had in her possession. She was sat on a rock, intently studying it, taking notes and even making a sketch or two in the notebook she carried. The coin itself had been procured during her most recent delve into an ancient ruin of a civilization long gone. It was an obsession she had picked up during her time abroad. If she so much as glanced one of the magnificent ruins that dotted the landscape, it became irresistible to delve as deep as she could to find the stories it held.

This obsession had become the reason that what was supposed to be a 3-week trip at most, had been going on for nearly 6, and her father was now quite impatient.

* * *

“This is pretty consistent with all the others I’ve found. One face has the usual head of an eagle with a worm in its mouth, and the other is so eroded I can’t tell what is was.” Judith mumbled to herself as she made the notes of her observations. She ended it with a sigh at how repetitive these had become. Every coin she had found, at this point numbering in the hundreds, had been the same. The thought of the other face was a constant itch in the back of her mind.

“What are you hiding that you don’t want us to know? Could it be a hint of why you vanished?” She asked the coin in her paw, as though it would hold an answer. 

Not a single animal had found any evidence of why this civilization had vanished, leaving behind only the ruins with which Judith was infatuated, and it was her dream to be the one to discover that reason, as unlikely it was she would be.

“Maybe if I go back and look again I’ll get lucky and find a whole one?” Another sigh escaped her lips. “Why would that happen though? Pair knows it hasn’t happened yet.”

“Lady Hopps?” A male voice asked from in front of her. Judith gasped and jumped back as she looked up to find a brown furred buck clad in gold tinted armor a few sizes too big for him. On his back was a backpack stuffed full with what appeared to be random odds and ends. But most catching was his eyes, colored a blue comparable to a clear sky and filled with youthful joy unmatched by any but children.

“Don’t sneak up on animals like that!” Judith yelled at the strange buck, who replied with a confused look.

“But I approached you from the front… and called your name several times.” He clarified. He spoke in a slightly undignified, but energetic way that pointed to an education, and yet boundless youth. Judith must have been so deep in thought that she didn’t see, or hear, him approach.

“Ehem. Right. And how is it you know my name?” She asked.

“Oh, sorry ‘bout that miss. Name’s Barnaby! I’m a squire in your father’s court, and I’ve been sent to escort you back to the castle. Somethin ‘bout you were ‘taking your sweet time.’” Barnaby cocked his head to the side as he tried to remember his exact orders.

Judith took the time to look back. In truth, she could see why they were getting impatient with her. Then she heard the noise of a horse from behind her. Turning around, she saw that Barnaby had arrived with not just the random pieces in his bag, but a whole cartful of the bits being towed by a workhorse.

“Lady Hopps?” Judith’s attention left the cart and went back to the squire in front of her. “Sorry if it’s a bit rude, but do you think we could be on our way? I was told to bring you back as soon as possible.”

Judith saw concern seep into the eyes of the buck, and for a second she tried to think of a way to send him back without her. Not thinking of anything that was likely to deter him, she relented.

“Very well.” She replied as she placed the coin and notebook in the pouch that hung by her side. Then, standing from the rock, she dusted herself off. She was wearing the style of dress that was common in Cedemia. Layers of soft silk in violet color to draw out her eyes and accent the grey of her fur, the dress embroidered with black finery, almost resembling a corset. Just below her chin, a white cloth was wrapped round her neck and tucked in her dress.

All of it gave her the air of the nobility that she was. At the same time, the dress was also cut to allow movement when needed. The hem ended just above her knee, and the sleeves were loose enough to give her complete freedom to reach and bend them. Or swing a sword if need be.

Glancing around, she found and retrieved her umbrella which she had left in the grass nearby.

“I don’t think you’ll be needing that miss. Skies have never been clearer than today.” Barnaby commented. 

Judith smirked and responded by gripping the base of the umbrella and pulling, revealing the body of the umbrella to actually be a scabbard for a light double-edged short sword, kept razor sharp by Judith’s care and constant maintenance. “I’ll be needing this rain or shine.” She said.

Once the shock of her having unveiled her hidden weapon washed away from Barnaby’s face, he nodded and proceeded back to his carriage. The rickety wooden structure swayed and groaned under the now added strain of the rabbit and his bag. Judith followed suit and hopped aboard her own steed.

Together like that, they both began their journey to the castle, which was vaguely visible in the distance. It was low lying, almost resembling a fort better than a castle, and a town surrounding its walls. Judith had stopped less than a day’s ride from home, which begged a question.

“Barnaby, what is all this you’ve brought with you?” Judith asked across to her new companion. When they locked eyes, she gestured to the rear of the carriage and his bag. “It all seems a bit cumbersome for such a short journey.”

“I wasn’t told how far I’d have to ride to meet you, so I brought all my things. I’m a bit of an inventor you see. It’s how I was able to become a squire, by wowing enough court members with my work. The downside is, all my equipment is hard to move.” Judith nodded and took a closer look at the cart’s contents.

Inside, she saw numerous gadgets and gizmos that she could only wonder at the purpose of. A gauntlet sized for a bear that was attached to some kind cog and pulley assembly; A series of coils wrapped around a rod with an orb attached to the end; shoes with comically large springs on them. The harder she looked, the more perplexed she was.

“How… interesting. Tell me Barnaby, do you have any idea why my father called me home early?” Judith moved on and asked her next question.

“No miss. That’s a bit over my head honestly. I can tell you Lord Ambros has certainly been on edge recently. He hardly ever leaves his quarters, and when he does, it’s to meet animals of import or to address the public. It’s got the whole of the castle talking.” He answered.

Judith had to think on that for a second. It was certainly unlike her father to lock himself away from the world. 

True he wasn’t one to spend his time with his family, but he was well known for walking amongst the masses and listening to what they had to say, or speaking with members of his staff, never keeping an important issue to himself.

“If you ask me, I think it’s got something to do with the Wyld. I may not be too sensitive to it, but with the droughts and longer nights… something must be wrong.” The buck posed. 

Looking around, Judith contemplated that. In Cedemia, the length of days and nights had remained the same, but word had spread that days were indeed shortening here in Armello, but the droughts were news to her. As they drew further into the farm lands though, she did begin to see their mark. Entire patches were yellowed or dead, and despite it being near the tail end of spring, row upon row of fruit orchard trees were looking closer to autumn.

The rest of the trip left her to think these things over in relative silence, the only noise that of the horse’s hooves and the occasional metallic clang coming from the laden cart.

This silence ended when they reached the castle, as animals of all shapes and sizes were milling about the streets, each attending to their own business. The largest of the population was comprised of rabbits and foxes, and most of them were able to recognize Judith on sight. She waved back politely as greetings and welcomes were thrown her way.

When they reached the gates of the castle proper, she was able to hear calls of ‘Lady Judith has returned! Inform Lord Ambros!’ as they passed beneath the portcullis. The pair entered the courtyard of the castle she had called home her whole life. 

To their right was the stables, currently bustling with activity as squires and stable boys ran to and fro tending to the equines. To the left was the barracks, a low and flat building that served to house the bulk of Ambros’ soldiers. 

Right in front of them though, was the castle proper. 

The whole of it was a square building, about 300 feet wide on every face. On all four corners was a tower rising near 40 feet into the air, and connecting all of them was 2 story buildings flying banners depicting a pure whit hare basking in the sun. The whole structure was comprised of rough and sturdy stone.

For Judith, it was all a sight she had missed greatly. It had been 3 years since she had last been within the walls, and little had changed aside from some of the fresh faces.

“That begs the question, is that horrible fox still here…” she mumbled to herself as she dismounted her steed and handed it off to a bright eyed young stable boy.

“If you were hoping that I wouldn’t be around upon your return, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed my lady.” A familiar and hated voice called from behind her.

“Why would I ever hope for that Sir Wyld? You’re not only my father’s most trusted attendant, but also the flavor of my life.” She responded with dripping sarcasm as she turned to greet the newcomer.

The voice belonged a red fox, approaching from a path that led to the rear of the barracks where the training fields were. He was none other than Sir Nicholas Wyld, captain of the guard, appointed knight and the trusted right-hand animal of Ambros himself. All of this achieved in spite of him being a bastard. If anything, it only served to aid his fame.

“Why, how kind of you princess. And here I feared your dislike for me had been perpetuated these past few years.” He responded with equal emphasis.

Right now, the fox was leisurely walking his way across the courtyard towards her. Even if she didn’t like him on a personal level, she couldn’t deny that he demanded respect, even in the way he walked. He strode with a confidence deserving of his rank, and his armor bore clear his prestige.

He wore a doublet of boiled cow leather dyed black coupled with matching trousers that extended to cover the base of his tail, as well as a shining plate armor on his left arm that he seemed to carry as though it wasn’t there, a snow white and pristine cape falling off of it over half his back. Most telling of his rank though was the layer of shining scalesteel over the doublet.

The material was some of the rarest metal out there with only a few pieces of armor made from it every year. It was light as a feather and yet tougher than the strongest forged steel. Its name mostly being derived though, from the way that the finished product almost always took on the appearance of reptilian scales, each scale was about the size of Judith’s fist.

All this combined with the bastard blade at his hip made for a commanding presence. 

Before Judy could retort his comment, Barnaby rushed past her to stand at attention for the captain, saluting with his arm across his heart.

“Squire Barnaby reporting a successful mission sir!” He shouted. He clearly took his job quite seriously.

“That’s quite plain to see as she’s right in front of me squire, but your vigor is duly noted.” The captain said as he came to a stop in front of the young buck. Once the squire relaxed himself, the fox turned once again to Judith.

“So, how was your trip princess? It only took you twice as long as it should have, so I imagine you must have some wild and crazy stories for us.” Nicholas asked.

“Regardless of how long I took, what I certainly didn’t need was an escort. And don’t call me princess.” She responded, allowing some venom to seep into her voice. At this point, Barnaby had done the smart thing and stepped out of the way from between them.

“Well you’ll have to forgive me for sending one. You took so long, I feared some ill fate may have befallen you.” The fox said with a wry smile.

“My safety is a hard case to make when you send a squire after me.” She said.

“Is that true captain?” A deep voice, laden with worry and middle age sounded from the direction of the castle. “Because I believe I requested that you go and retrieve my daughter personally.”

Ambros was making his way towards them, and he did not look happy. Judith knew from her rebellious phase that one of his greatest pet peeves was to be ignored, and right now, from the frown and glare adorning his muzzle, he was quite peeved.

Nicholas, for his part, did look remorseful as he turned to salute and greet his lord, and Barnaby was already kneeling on the ground. When he reached them, he motioned for them to be at ease, then continued.

“Was my memory mistaken?” He asked.

“No sire, and I apologize for disobeying your order. I had priorities here that begged my attention so I…” Nicholas had started to explain, but was silenced when Ambros raised his paw to stop him. 

“Excuses will waste what time we have. Putting that aside, welcome home my darling.” Ambros had finally addressed Judith directly, and moved forward to hug her, which she eagerly returned. “How was your stay in Cedemia?” He asked as he released her.

“Lovely father, just lovely. My teachers were incredible. But why, pray tell, did you call me home?” Judith threw her biggest question at him.

“All in good time. For now, you must be exhausted from your trip, so why don’t you get some sleep before tonight’s festivities.” He motioned for her to follow him as he walked towards the castle.

“Festivities? What’s happening tonight?” She asked. She  _had_ found it odd that all of the servants and help in the castle had been scrambling all over since she had arrived.

“Tonight is the proving.” Nicholas said from behind her. 

“Indeed. Which means that you should be on your way to make preparations, right Barnaby?” Ambros looked behind him to the buck in question who suddenly gasped, thanked his lord, and ran off towards the barracks.

Judith couldn’t help but give a laugh as he stumbled and ran as fast as he could. The prospect of him earning his knighthood tonight through the proving was amusing. Judith hadn’t even thought of the fact that the annual event was here, for squires from throughout her father’s hold to try and become knights themselves.

“Is he really going to participate?” She asked.

“Him and many others.” Answered Nicholas. “This will be the largest batch of potentials in years, decades even.”

“It’s also the most varied.” Added Ambros. “That’s my point of pride personally. Mammals, reptiles, amphibians; prey and predator alike. It’s this variation of thoughts, abilities, and capabilities that will keep us a step above the other lords of the other lands.”

Judith was able to hear the pride in his voice and see it in his eyes as he spoke. Her father loved his lands and all the animals in them a great deal, that was why he always strove to get a leg up on any of the other lords, that way insuring the king saw fit to favor them.

They continued to chat idly, Judith speaking at length of her time in Cedemia and all the things she had learned of art and culture, when eventually the paths split.

“I’m afraid I have preparations of my own that I must make for tonight, so it is here that I must bid you both ado.” Amrbos gave a small bow and turned to his captain. “I trust that this time you’ll listen when I say ‘escort my daughter?’” He asked.

Nicholas saluted once more and answered in a begrudging affirmative. 

“Father, I don’t need an escort to my own room.” Judith objected.

“Maybe before, but we had to move some things around in your absence.” Nicholas answered derisively. Ambros nodded and added: “It would also put my conscience at ease. Just please go with it for now. I’ll see you later at the proving. Till then you two.”

Ambros waved as he sauntered down the hall towards his offices, leaving the pair behind.

“Well, if you’ll follow me princess. Your chambers await.” Nicholas motioned widely in a different direction and began to walk himself. Judith sighed and followed shortly after him.

“How many times must I insist that you stop calling me that?” She asked him once she caught up. “If you want to keep using childish nicknames, I’ll just start calling you fang face again.”

Nicholas chuckled a bit at her. “By all means, go ahead.” He replied. “I’ve been called far worse since we were children.”

After that, he suddenly stopped, Judith almost running straight into him. “Here you are. Your old rooms are being used by others right now, so this guest bedroom is to be yours for the duration of your stay.” He opened the door for her and showed the rooms off.

There was a private restroom and large closet coming off of a large bedroom, all of it adorned in carpets and drapes giving an air of finery. 

“It’s admittedly smaller than your old ones, but there isn’t really much to be done on that.” Nicholas said. “As long as the princess doesn’t require a parlor, lest she want to entertain that is.”

Judith shot daggers through her eyes at him. “I assure you this will be more than adequate.” She spit the words out as if they left a foul taste. “Just insure that I am retrieved before the proving begins. It wouldn’t look well on my father if I missed any of it. And I know you would be remise if anything happened to harm my father’s position.”

“Of course, princess. I’ll be sure that a maid is sent to attend you.” He said with a bow, and left quickly after.

_Ever the loyal attendant._ Judith thought.  _And ever a pain in my tail._

She turned and retreated into her new rooms. She thought back on her history with the captain as she prepared to get some sleep, all the way back to her childhood.

When she was around 10, he had actually been appointed as _her_ attendant, himself being a well to do squire at the time. They had gotten along fine back then, when most of her responsibilities only involved not making a mess of the castle when she played in the halls.

That changed as both aged though. Eventually, her focus had to turn to learning how to rule, to absorbing knowledge. This was in contrast to Judith’s want to while the days away in luxury. Nicholas in the meantime turned his focus to obtaining his knighthood.

That was when the first conflicts between herself and the young squire emerged.

He would search and find her wherever she ran to escape her lessons and drag her back, kicking and screaming, trying to show that he was willing to go above and beyond for her wellbeing. In the end, it was all for his knighthood.

At first, she had thought he was torturing her, and despised him for it. That was when the nicknames started to get thrown around. They truly hated each other, and that hate only grew when Nicholas became a full-fledged knight.

She had to sit and watch as lumps of praise was heaped upon him from her father, who seemed to look to Nicholas as more of a son than he did Judith as a daughter. These memories brought up shame in her throat that she almost choked on. She had acted like a spoiled child back then, deserving the name ‘princess.’

Now that praise and trust was still there for the fox, but Judith was no longer envious of it. She had simply come to realize that, while her father may love her, he was simply the kind of animal who valued not to whom someone was born, but rather what they accomplished. Taking actions over lineage.

It was when she realized that as a child that she had thrown herself into her studies, hoping for some kind of recognition from him that she never received. Even now, she had to admit that that want drove her to an extent, but more than anything, she was looking out for herself.

_I’m not looking for praise or for someone else’s validation anymore._ She thought as she disrobed.  _I don’t even want to rule these lands like father does. I just want to live my life my way. Not beholden to anyone._

She made her way to the bed dressed in only her small clothes and climbed in, the exhaustion from her long journey taking her once she was settled. It was only a matter of seconds after she was wrapped in the sheets that sleep overtook her.

* * *

It was some hours later that Judith was awakened by a maid that had been sent for her as she had requested. The older rabbit helped her to get dressed in a similar set to what she had worn earlier, but this time in a deep blue.

Once she was all set and ready, the maid showed her the way to the dining hall, a massive room with a 40-foot ceiling and those same hare emblems as outside. The whole of it was lit by torches and the two fire places that were roaring with life on the sides of the room. 

On any other day, the dining hall had seven large wooden tables in it. Six of them sat in a lower area, where the help, soldiers and guests of lower import ate. The other was on a raised platform in the back of the room where the lords and ladies of the court sat, Judith’s father in the center.

Right now, though, two of the lower six were removed and the rest were pushed to the walls to leave a large, open space in the middle, and those tables were jam packed with animals; even more had chosen to stand. All were here to watch the proving.

Judith went up to the raised platform to join her father, who had saved her a seat on his left. She took a quick second to glare at Nicholas, who was standing on guard behind his lord, before she sat.

“Feeling well rested?” Ambros asked over the murmur of the crowd.

“Very much so, thank you.” She answered with a polite nod.

In the time before the proving began, she played the part of the lord’s well-behaved daughter; nodding, waving and laughing with the crowds and lesser lords who filed in. After about ten minutes of that her father rose and called the room to attention, and all eyes were on him in an instant.

“Thank you to all who have chosen to attend our annual proving this year. We have lords and ladies, farm hands and blacksmiths, and even a few retired knights out there. All of you gathered for the singular purpose of watching as the squires of our fair land make their attempts to prove their worth to all of us. To show that they have what is required of them to defend their friends, family, gods, and country. Usher in these young hopefuls in please.” He asked.

From the front of the room, animals of all size and shape began to file in. Some were in suits of armor, others in soft finery. One by one they lined up in the middle of the room, 47 in total. Near the middle of the pack, Judith was able to spot Barnaby, still clad in his armor, and gave him a smile and a wave.

“I now want to thank each one of you for what you have done. To make it to this point is no easy task, and one many have turned away from in face of the difficulty. For your sacrifice for this land and country, I thank you all.” Ambros bowed his head to the squires. “Now to explain what will happen here tonight, I will ask my guard captain forward.”

When Ambros was done and seated, Nicholas stepped forward as asked and spoke with a commanding voice that was new to Judith. She guessed it was the one he used to address his troops.

“Each of you will come forward tonight and individually make your case in the form of a crucible of your own creation. You will name a knight of the land who is present within this room and issue them a challenge. What the exact challenge will be is up to the knight, who is expected to make their choice based on where they feel you have no chance of success against them.

“Know that, succeed or fail this challenge, you could still become a knight. In the end, the final say is left to lord Ambros, who will watch all and make his judgment thereafter. That being said, the chosen knight can also issue recommendation either way, and this can hold great weight. Keep that in mind.

“To the knights in the room, I remind you that you have a right to refuse a challenge if you see fit, and to also speak your mind if you issue a recommendation. I also ask that any combat challenges be kept non-lethal as there are children present.” Nicholas looked at Judith as he said the last part, which she pretended not to notice.

Nicholas then motioned to the side of the room and forward strode a badger butler whom held a box with a hole cut in the top.

“Your order will be determined by slots to ensure that no advantages are given to any. You are all equal tonight, regardless of birth, status or worth.” He finished and now gestured for the first squire to come forward.

And with that, the proving had begun. Once all the squires had drawn, all except the first challenger left the room, and then the challenges began. One after another, the squires named knights for challenge, some booming their choice with confidence, while others had to squeak it out due to their nervousness. All challenges were accepted though, as it had been years since one was declined.

All manner of challenge occurred as well. Some were simply feats of strength settled by arm wrestling, while others were tests of wit or luck. Chess and card games were played, a few battles fought and even one drink off between a boar and bear which ended with both passed out on the floor.

Eventually only one squire was left, and it was Barnaby who held the occasion of the final challenge. Once the remnants of the previous challenge to see who could hold their breath the longest were cleared away, and the unconscious pig squire carried out, the excitable rabbit was ushered in. He ran straight to the front of the lords table and gave a salute and a bow.

There were murmurs through the crowd of who his choice might be, but most were silent as all waited to hear who it was. Judith herself glanced around to the different knights to make her own guesses.

_Will he challenge one of the knights who has a tendency towards intelligence? He was, after all, an inventor so he must have some wits to him. Or will he try out his luck on someone like sir Foost, who is widely believed to have been born with lucky rabbit’s feet. Or maybe…_

“I CHOOSE SIR NICHOLAS WYLD!!” Barnaby suddenly called out.

_Or maybe he’ll do that._

All eyes went from the buck to the captain, still at his post behind lord Hopps, and both looked shocked. Nicholas hadn’t called the whole night, and judging from her father’s face, Judith assumed he had never been called before.

Judith now watched as the tod leaned forward to look at his lord as though asking permission, to which he received a nod. With a sigh only heard by those nearby, he accepted and made his way down from the raised section to stand in front of the squire.

“The mode of challenge will be combat. Retrieve your weapon Barnaby.” He commanded as he tapped the blade on his belt. The squire did as asked and returned to the room promptly with a large war-hammer in tow.

Both now stood about ten feet from each other as the same butler who passed out the lots came forward once more. He explained the rules in a slow and dignified way.

“When either combatant has lost the ability to fight, or admits defeat, the match is over and both must stand down. Do both participants understand?” The butler asked, to which both nodded and agreed. “Very well then, on the count of three!”

“One!”

The crowd goes silent as both fighters tense and mentally prepare.

“Two!”

Barnaby readies his hammer while Nicholas draws his blade and points it at him.

“Three!”

“KICKHISTAILINBARNABY!” Judith shouted as in an instant, the combatants were upon each other.

Barnaby was the first to strike as he charged forward, opening with a powerful overhead swing. Nicholas easily side stepped the blow and swung towards the back of the rabbit’s head, trying hit him with the flat of the blade. Barnaby shifted the hammer’s handle to block the strike before twisting and swinging once again and Nicholas was forced to jump back to get out of danger.

Once he regained his balance, Barnaby rushed the fox once more, trying to catch him before he recovered. No such luck as Nicholas had already found his footing and blocked the blow, catching the hammer’s handle just below the head on his blade.

Judith saw Barnaby grin as he shifted his grip and twisted the bottom of the handle. Once he did, the metal face of the hammer shot forward, attached to a pulley system in the head, and smacked Nicholas square in jaw, the blow having enough force to send him flying a few feet back, blade still in paw.

Nicholas was able to recover fairly quickly though, shooting right back up from where he had landed on the floor, and now Judith could see fire in his eyes as he spat out some blood.

As Barnaby rushed once more, Nicholas readied himself and only dodged as swing after swing came from Barnaby. None of them seemed to come close to the captain now as he danced circles around the buck, the display only becoming a lesson in futility as Barnaby began to tire and slow.

Eventually a low swing caused Nicholas to jump to avoid it, and while he was still midair, Barnaby swung his hammer round and brought it straight down. Rather than be hit by it though, the fox caught the handle in his open paw and spun round it midair. As a result, he ended up standing atop it when it hit the ground, his back to the rabbit.

In one smooth motion, he turned, gripped his sword with both paws and swung it down on the handle. The cut was clean and quick, causing Barnaby to reel back once there was no weight to his weapon, leaving him wide open to a swift kick to his ribs from Nicholas that pushed him back a few steps, then a punch from the captain’s plated hand that sent him sprawling.

Barnaby now laid upon the floor, and had to struggle to raise himself with the weight of his armor. When he did and turned to face his opponent once more, a blade was pointed at his throat. The room was quiet as all waited to see what would happen. It wasn’t over unless he conceited.

And conceit he did not.

With a metallic click, Barnaby’s right gauntlet shot forward directly at Nicholas’ legs. The move shocked him as it connected with his knee, and Nicholas had to twist and roll into the blow to keep his knee from breaking.

Barnaby had succeeded once more in putting some distance between the two in a tense situation, but he was still in trouble. Besides his strange gauntlet that let him strike from a distance, he seemed to no longer have a weapon, Judith silently praying to the Pair that he had something else up his sleeve.

When Nicholas had regained his footing, Barnaby had already finished reeling his gauntlet back in via the chain the attached to it and right now seemed to be making an adjustment to his invention.

Nicholas took one step forward, and watched as Barnaby raised his gauntlet to him again, but this time Nicholas knew what to expect.

The fist suddenly left the rabbit’s arm with greater speed than an arrow from a bow, and enough force to stumble him, but the distance between the two was enough to allow the fox to react.

He raised his blade and glanced the fist off to the side, only enough to cause it to miss him, so the chain ground against the flat of his sword, sending sparks flying.

The fist itself continued well past Nicholas to impact the lord’s table, directly in front of Judith’s seat. It had enough force to knock cups and plates flying and form a sizeable crack beneath the table cloth.

Once it’s rapid assault ended though, the chain going limp for only an instant before it began a hasty retreat.

Nicholas seemed to glance between the chain skittering the ground and the mechanism in his opponent’s armor before flipping the blade in his grasp and slamming the tip of the blade down, through the chain and into the mortar between stones of the floor.

With that, the chain went taught between where it was now anchored and the now concerned Barnaby. A few more metallic clicks sounded from the rabbit’s arm, each one seeming to add more strain to his tug of war. After the fifth one, Barnaby himself flew forward as though he was a bird flying low.

Right before his violent tumble hit him, Nicholas withdrew his sword and stepped back to avoid it. And so, Barnaby continued past him, only coming to a stop when his face made full contact with the stone rise the lords sat upon.

When the buck didn’t move for a few seconds, some of the maids that were there to care for any wounded started towards him, but were stopped in their tracks by a shout from Nicholas.

“Leave him be!” He called out and stepped towards Barnaby. “This isn’t over yet… Roll over squire. I know you’re still awake.” Nicholas stopped just over his opponent’s motionless body. When all he did was groan, Nicholas growled a little and reached down to grab the buck’s shoulder, rolling him over himself.

Barnaby’s face had certainly seen better days. His nose was clearly broken and one of his visible teeth was chipped. Blood was flowing slowly from his nose and a cut in his forehead, but he was indeed still conscious.

“Admit defeat squire.” Nicholas demanded as he rose once more, bringing the tip of his blade to hover over Barnaby’s heart. Barnaby groaned once more in response, and raised his right hand in a fist, it having fully retracted during his tumble.

Nicholas sighed before batting the fist aside and stabbing the forearm just below the wrist. More clicking and whirring sounded from it that rapidly became a loud grinding noise. After a few seconds, a loud bang rang out through the hall, and Judith watched in horror as Barnaby’s mechanical fist exploded in a shower of metal shards, springs and fluid.

She could see Barnaby’s face be overcome in an instant with sadness and defeat. Nicholas withdrew his blade and knelt down to grab the neck of the rabbit’s armor and brought him close. Judith could see the fox’s lips moving, but could hear nothing as her ears still rang from the explosion.

When Nicholas released him, Barnaby slumped back into the spot he was in before, shock and bewilderment adorning his face before his consciousness slipped away.

Nicholas sheathed his sword and motioned for the medical staff to come forward. They flocked to the young squire immediately, only one stopping to examine the fox as he had taken a blow. When he was given a clean bill of health, Nicholas looked to his lord.

“Sire, if I may speak?” The room that had begun to murmur and move, fell silent once more as Ambros nodded.

“My lord, I’m afraid my conscience forces me to speak my mind. I must make my recommendation that squire Barnaby not be granted a knighthood.” Gasps and whispers filled the hall, and even the maids that were carrying Barnaby away to the infirmary stopped. Ambros raised his paw for silence.

“Your recommendation is heard sir Wyld, and shall be taken into account.” Ambros replied regally, but he couldn’t hide the disappointment in his voice. Nicholas nodded and began to walk out of the room keeping his gaze to the ground. Before the murmurs could start again, the lord addressed his people.

“I would once again thank all who were here in attendance.” He called as he rose from his chair. “Squires should receive word of my decision on their knighthood in the coming days. For now though, I must request that the hall be vacated business may return to usual on the morrow. I bid all of you a good night, and best wishes. May the Sun and Moon guide you all.” He ended with a well-wishing, which the crowd returned in kind.

As animals began to file out, Ambros turned towards his daughter. “That goes for you as well my dear.” He said.

“What? But father, you still haven’t explained anything.” Judith protested. She had been led around all day and forced to play a lady of the court before watching a mammal she had just come to know be humiliated. “I deserve at least some answers.”

“Yes, and you’ll have them. Come to my chambers near midday tomorrow, and I promise you I shall explain then.” Judith tried to raise her paw in protest, but was shot down in an instant. “After tonight’s events, the last thing you or I need is more weight on our shoulders. If anything, what I need is a snifter.” He mumbled the last bit to himself.

“Please just sleep for the night, and I’ll see you in the morning.” Ambros insisted and waved for the same maid that had woken Judith earlier to escort her back. She couldn’t really do much but comply once more with her father’s stalling tactics.

“Very well.” She conceited as she stood and gave a shallow curtsy to her father. “Have a good night’s rest then.” She said, and without waiting for a reply, hustled out of the room.

She had no want to speak with anyone, so she slipped out through one of the side paths, ignoring the warning from the maid that she might get lost. In the moment though, Judith didn’t care. That combined with her confidence in herself.

_This has been my home for years. A few gone or not, that won’ t change._

* * *

A few hours later.

Judith felt as though she was ready to scream. Hallway after hallway looked the same to her, there were no decorations that could tell he where she was, and she was mostly certain she had been wandering in circles for the past hour. 

_If anyone ever finds out I got lost in my own home, I will never hear the end of it._ She thought.  _The juiciest gossip will be ‘Oh did you hear about lady Judith Hopps? The doe is such a ditz that she probably can’t use the toilet without an escort.’_

Judith sighed as she shook her head. She was growing tired and very irritated at her predicament which was making her mind wander. The hour was quite late, and she badly wanted to return to the warm embrace of her bed.

She continued to wander her way forward, at this point not truly caring if she found an occupied room to get help from or found it on her own.

_At this point, I’d even take help from sir Nicholas…_

Judith stopped as she thought that and rather than simply shake her head she smacked herself across the face. She must be going crazy from this.

Soon enough, as she neared the end of her patience and was wondering where the most comfortable spot to sleep in the hall would be, she heard voices in the distance. She almost shouted her thanks to the heavens as she rushed towards them, her ears guiding the way.

As she drew closer, she was able to tell what the voices were conversing about.

“Worst part about the proving this is. All the busy work gets pushed aside to make room for all their galivanting and posturing.” An elderly voice rang out. Judith recognized it to be one of the older rabbit maids in service here. A younger voice answered. “Oh Grettle, I see no harm in it. Besides, I quite like all of the showing off.”

Judith was coming upon the room and heard the sound of cloth being scrubbed on a washboard and could smell the soap. A third voice spoke, just as young as the second’s, when she was able to see the washrooms open door, light pouring from it.

“Is it the showing off or the squires who do the showing that you’re watching Ava?” A giggle followed soon after from both girls.

“Well who can blame me?” Ava answered. “They’re all so dashing and noble, and the knights even more so.” She said dreamily.

“What’s going through your head?” The third said. “You still dreaming of marrying one?”

“PAH! Fat chance at that. The whole lot are just arrogant brats.” Grettle practically spit the words. Judith found herself having slowed her steps and hugging the wall. She had unconsciously decided to listen in.

“Well some maybe, but plenty are such gentleanimals. Especially that Sir Nicholas.” Ava had slipped into her dreamy tone again. Judith found herself gagging on revulsion at the thought that someone could find the fox attractive.

“You would call him a gentlemammal after tonight?” The third whispered accusingly. “Didn’t you see what he did to that squire?”

“Sir Nicholas fought? That must have been after I had to take that meercat with a broken arm to the infirmary. They made me stay at his bedside till his medicine eased the pain.” Ava said.

“Then you probably saw the poor buck get taken in. I tell you, in all my years, I’ve never seen a spirit shattered quite like that boy’s. He would’ve been the last one you got.” Grettle said.

“Sir Nicholas did that to him? That can’t be. Why, he looked like he’d lost a death battle to a bear.” Ava made an attempt to defend the fox.

“Oh, but it’s true.” The third voice spoke again. “It was a massacre it was. And at the end, when the lad wasn’t even awake, he went and said that he shouldn’t become a knight. Was the only one to say such a thing the whole proving.”

“And being he’s the captain of the guard, no way he’ll get it. Ambros trusts him too much to doubt that kind of judgment.” Grettle added. “How was he doing when you left the infirmary?”

“The healers had managed to set his arm and nose, but you couldn’t recognize him with all the swelling. He was asleep as I left, and I heard whispers that he’d have to stay a few days.” Ava said.

Judith felt her fists clench in anger. Barnaby hadn’t deserved what had been done to him. True she hadn’t known him long, but he seemed to be a stand-up mammal. And not only had Nicholas destroyed his spirit, weapon and body, but also his chances at knighthood.

Fed up with gossip, Judith no longer tried to hide her presence, and openly walked into the room. The women she had heard were poised over basins with sleeves rolled up and mounds of sheets and clothes. Grettle looked as old as ever, yet her vigorous scrubbing hinted at being no closer to retirement. Then there was a young cream colored rabbit and red fox, Judith assuming from what had been said that Ava was the fox. Judith cleared her throat to make her presence known, and all three heads turned to her.

Grettle was the first to recognize her. “Good evening Lady Hopps.” She said as she stood, a little slowly, and gave a small curtsy. “Is there anything I can help you with?” She asked. The other two took the cue and mimicked their elder.

“I’m afraid I’ve lost my way somewhat and can’t find my way back.” She gave a small embarrassed laugh to try and downplay it. “I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you at all…”

“Nonsense my dear, think nothing of it.” Grettle said in the same comforting manor Judith remembered from her childhood. Grettle then turned to the other two maids in the room, whom seemed a bit dumbfounded. 

“Tessa.” The young rabbit squeaked in shock. “Y-yes ma-am?”

“Please show the lady back to her rooms. And take some fresh sheets for her too.” Grettle said commandingly.

“Oh, that’s not necessary Grettle. All I need is some directions.” Judith objected.

Grettle turned back to her. “I think not m’lady. You’ve already gotten lost once today, last thing we need is for you to have a sleepless night.”

Judith couldn’t hold against that logic. “Very well.” She said. “But I must insist that she only show me, I have no need of sheets.”

Grettle sighed and motioned to Tessa, who put down her washing implements and smoothed her dress as she came forward. She curtsied when she stopped in front of her. “If you’ll just follow me m’lady.” She said politely.

Tessa then led the way, walking back where Judith had come from. She followed after doing a small bow to the two being left behind.

As they walked, Judith mostly thought about how great sleep would be when it came when she noticed Tessa giving her an over the shoulder glance, a glint of curiosity in her eye.

“You needn’t be nervous at all. If you have a question by all means, ask.” Judith said. Tessa squeaked again at being addressed directly. 

“O-o-oh, well… I.” She stammered, fliting her thumbs together, causing Judith to laugh.

“Am I that intimidating?” She asked.

“No! No! Not at all!” She said in a panic, earning another laugh. “If anything, it’s the opposite. I never imagined you would be so approachable.” She said, still panicked.

“That’s good to hear. Certainly better than the opposite. So what was your question then?” Judith asked again.

“Well…” Tessa started. “Perhaps It’s best if I don’t ask. I wouldn’t want to take from your sleep tonight.”

Judith cocked her head, wondering what she could possibly want to ask. “Are you sure? The least I could do for this escort is answer something.” She assured.

“Yes.” Tessa said with surety. “But…”

“Buuut?”

Tessa laugh lightly. “Do you think I could ask in the morning? I’m to attend you anyway, and then I wouldn't distract you.”

Judith thought on it for second. “I see no problem with that, if that’s how you want to do it.” She said after a few seconds.

“Thank you miss.” Tessa said with a smile. “AH! Here we are.”

The young maid gestured to a door, Judith only just then taking in her surroundings. Tessa had led her flawlessly back to her room.

“Thank you Tessa. I’ll be sure to let Grettle know you were a great help.” Judith said as she opened the door and eyed the bed adoringly.

“Thank you miss. I shall see you come morning.” Tessa gave another curtsy. 

“Indeed.” Judith responded. “Good night.” She ended as she closed the door tiredly. 

As tired as she was, she cared little for wrinkling her clothes and curled straight into the empty bed, falling into a deep sleep in seconds, the events of the day not holding her back from the comfort it gave.

 


	2. A Quest is Given

Judith was disturbed from her sleep by the sound of movement in her room. The rustling of cloth and the soft sound of paws on the floor lulled her awake to discover that she had burrowed deep into the covers overnight. Sleepily digging her way out, she emerged to the blinding light of the early morning sun, practically blinding her. “UGGGGhhh.” She groaned, shielding herself.

“Oh, sorry miss. I needed the light to ready your clothes.” Judith recognized Tessa’s voice come from the foot of the bed. Her apology was followed by the padding of her paws as she walked over and closed the curtains over the window.

“What time is it?” Judith groggily asked. “About seven m’lady. I was told to make sure you rose not to long after sunrise.” Tessa said as she moved back to the other side of the room.

Judith’s eyes adjusted to her surroundings, and could smell the sweet scent of bath soaps. “You drew a bath already?” Judith asked.

“Indeed. I was told to give you water near scalding and soaps.” The maid responded. Judith turned and saw that she was still wearing the same maid outfit as yesterday.

“Thank you. Can you fix the bed while I bathe?” Judith asked as she extracted herself from the bed and walked towards the bathroom. She lingered long enough to see Tessa nod before going in and disrobing.

She lowered herself into the water, gritting her teeth as she acclimated to the temperature. When Tessa had said near scalding, she hadn’t been kidding, but that was just how Judith liked it. The hot water washed away all the tension in her body, leaving her relaxed and ready.

After soaking in the water, she reached for the additional soaps and began to wash herself. While she was doing this, Tessa’s head peeked into the room. “Is there anything else you require miss?” She asked, and Judith admitted that she could use help scrubbing her back and ears. Tessa nodded once more and entered the rest of the way, averting her eyes from Judith’s naked form. She guessed that it was still a little awkward for this level of familiarity with a lord’s daughter.

After raising herself from where she had been lying in the water she leaned forward as Tessa began to lightly scrub her. Judith felt a content sigh escape her as she was washed, which seemed to provoke Tessa to speak. “Could I ask you that question now miss?” She said.

“Hm?” Judith responded, not remembering the conversation from last night for an instant. “Oh, of course.”

“I’ve been wondering…” She started. “I’ve only worked here a short time to be honest. And the entire time nobody has made any mention of your mother at all, despite that your father wears a band. I suppose I was curious as to why.”

Judith had to stop and absorb the question. It had been many years since someone had asked about her mother at all. “I’m sad to say she passed away when I was young…” Judith answered, sounding somewhat melancholy, which drew a gasp from the maid behind her. “Some kind of illness involved with my brother’s birth.”

“I’m so sorry miss… I-I had n-no idea.” Tessa’s voice was laden with guilt, and she reverted into her stammering. “It’s Okay Tessa, really.” Judith said as she turned slightly to face the other rabbit. “It’s been a long time, and I came to terms with it long ago. I didn’t know her that well, and my brother never even got to meet her.” Tessa seemed to calm a bit at that revelation, so Judith turned forward again.

“He and I were both wet nursed through most of our childhood by Grettle instead.” Judith giggled as some memories were pushed to the front of her mind. The earliest days of her memories, of holding her baby brother while Grettle did chores, of waiting for her father to finish his work so she could show him whatever it was she had found in the mud of the castle gardens. Buried deepest though was the only memory she had of her mother. Of a lullaby she had sung to her once that stood out in her mind, even if she couldn’t remember the words. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she continued. “I would venture that no one speaks of her since my father took her death quite seriously, to the point where he hasn’t remarried, and holds no plans to. She still holds a special place in his heart I think, and others have picked up on it.”

“That’s so lovely.” Tessa said as she resumed washing Judith. “To have a love so strong that even death doesn’t detach the two. Most only dream of something like that.”

“I don’t look at it that way.” Judith simply stated, making it clear with her tone that she would elaborate no further. She dunked herself beneath the water to rinse and then rose out, declaring her bath done. She dismissed Tessa to the hall so she could dress herself, putting on the now clean clothes she had first arrived in. Walking out into the hall, she found Tessa slightly dozing against a wall. It occurred to Judith that the girl probably hadn’t slept so far today. Nevertheless, she was her attendant for the day, so she woke her.

"Tessa?" Judith shook the younger rabbit slightly to wake her, which she did with a jolt and an apology. "It's quite fine Tessa. We all get tired from time to time. Now if you could please escort me to my next destination?"

"Oh, of course Miss! But uhhh... Where is your next destination?" The maid asked. Of the many details for how to wake Judith up, Tessa hadn't been told what her plans were for the morning. A detail Judith decided to take advantage of.

"I would like to go by the infirmary." Judith said.

"Are you feeling ill my lady? I can fetch a healer to come here." Tessa showed immediate concern and seemed ready to take off to do as she had suggested. "No, no. I feel fine. I simply want to be sure that those that were hurt last night are recovering well."

Tessa nodded and began to lead, speaking to how kind Judith was to go and see them. And while it may have been true that it would do the squires well to know that she appreciated what they had done, the one thing she truly wanted to know was what Nicholas had said to Barnaby before he had lost consciousness. What the fox had done last night had bordered on brutality, and Judith wanted to know, no HAD to know if she could use it to damage him. She of course did not let her real intentions seep through to the surface at all.

Tessa continued to heap praise upon her lady as the walked, lasting all the way till they were just outside of the infirmary.

"You can wait out here and have a rest for a bit Tessa. I'll be fine on my own and I'll wake you when I'm done." Tessa looked like she was going to protest, but then realized it meant sitting for a while and agreed. Judith proceeded in on her own.

The interior of the infirmary was much the same as the rest of the castle, the only major difference being the amount of light. There were quite a few large windows giving natural light to the room, along with many candles mounted on the walls. Beds also made up the majority of the furniture on the interior, around 15 in total with white curtains separating them from each other, and nearly all were occupied. Looking around, Judith recognized the occupants as the most wounded of last night's participants, but noticed that she couldn't find Barnaby among them. 

Stopping a nurse to ask where the squire was, she was directed to one of the private rooms branching off of the main one. She found this somewhat strange as those were usually reserved for actual knights if they weren't treated in their own chambers, but the nurse hurried away before she could ask for an explanation.  _They must still be busy with everyone._ She thought to herself.

Moving to the room that the nurse had indicated, stopping to speak to any squires that were awake along the way, she knocked on the door. "You can come in." Barnaby called from the other side, to which Judith did just that.

"Lady Judith, what a surprise!" Barnaby said from his place in bed. Judith scanned him, and the poor buck looked worse for wear. Almost his entire face was bandaged, as was his chest and right arm. She also noticed that his arm appeared to be missing a paw. She couldn't tell whether or not it was just concealed in the bandages though. "Is there something you needed miss?"

Before Judith could respond, a visitor already in the room spoke up. "Oh, the princess probably just came to wish you well."

Judith looked to the foot of the bed and sure enough, there stood Nicholas with his usual smug grin. "Sir Nicholas. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here." She made no effort to hide the animosity in her voice.

"Well you almost didn't see me at all, as I was just about to leave." Nicholas returned Judith's tone before turning to Barnaby. "Good luck with your recovery kid. Just don't take too long. Wouldn't want your training to suffer." Barnaby nodded in response before saluting from bed with his non wounded arm. "Yes sir. Thank you."

The squire's words caught Judith by surprise.  _He's the reason Barnaby is in here in the first place, and he's_ THANKING  _him? Talking to him with respect?_

Nicholas then left the room, stopping only briefly to give a little bow to his lady before going out and closing the door behind him. Judith only spoke after she listened to his steps take him away from the door. Once she was convinced the fox was gone she took his place at the foot of the bed.

"How are you feeling Barnaby?" She asked first off.

"OH, I feel fine miss. Nothing to worry about." The buck gave a very unconvincing smile. Judith simply glared skeptically for a few seconds before he broke. "What I meant to say was, I've been better." He corrected and lifted his bandaged arm to show. "Apparently my gauntlet's pulleys dislocated and broke my arm, plus my face's swelling only just went down. The medicine is really helping with the pain though." Barnaby gave a more genuine smile this time.

"Well at least your spirit's still intact. But why did you thank Nicholas? He's the one that put you here in the first place." Judith questioned him somewhat intensely. Barnaby stayed calm though.

"He may have been the one to hurt me, but I challenged him. I was fully aware that I might get hurt in the process, but I did it anyway. I thanked him because, even if he hurt me, he taught me so much leading up to this." He admitted.

"Were you trying to prove something by challenging my father's favorite?"

"Maybe?" He answered. He didn't sound too sure himself. "I think I may have lost sight of what I should have been trying to accomplish. I wanted to prove myself as worthy more than anything. I even felt ready to die for it." Judith saw that his left paw was clenched in a fist. 

"Has that changed?" She asked.

Barnaby shook his head. "Only a little. Sir Nicholas was here to talk to me about that. He wanted me to know that my life was worth far more than any knighthood, and I shouldn't be putting my life on the line for it. But I won't stop trying no matter what happens." He said, revealing what Nicholas had been there for.

Judith couldn't see what he had said as good though. To her, all Nicholas had done was make the squire's dreams, his aspirations, mean nothing in the end. As though his dedication and willingness were meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But she couldn't use that against the fox at all. In the end, he was comforting a fallen opponent, something most would see as noble. "What did he say to you last night before you passed out though?" She asked, hopeful for a whispered insult or dismissal.

"I'm sorry miss, but sir Nicholas asked me to keep that in confidence." He answered immediately, the look on his face giving nothing away. Judith cursed silently at the fox. He had been 1 step ahead of her.

"I see. Then I shall leave you to your bed rest. Do you have need of anything?" She asked as she stepped towards the door.

"No miss. The nurses have treated me very well, especially since Sir Nicholas had them give me this room." The buck replied with a smile and a light wave goodbye. "Thank you for visiting though. It means alot to get visits from animals so high above me."

"Think nothing of it squire, Have a nice rest." She nodded kindly and left.

As Judith walked though the infirmary, she kept an eye out for another surprise appearance by the guard captain which thankfully didn't happen. She also stopped one of the head nurses and ordered that Barnaby be given anything he should request as he was a friend of her's. With her business now concluded, she left the infirmary to find Tessa fast asleep on a chair outside, looking quite content in her dream. Shaking her awake, she informed the maid that she was ready to move on to a meeting with her father. Tessa proceeded to lead to her father's offices on the second floor of one of the towers.

Arriving, Tessa was required to wait downstairs, as no one but those with Ambros' express permission could ascend. Even his personal guards were rarely permitted. As she walked up the stairs, she began to feel a slightly familiar creep of anxiety rise up from the swirling emotions within her. She flashed back to her days as a kit, when the only times she would be called up there was to face punishment for misbehavior. That combined with the confusion she still felt as to why she was even home now created a complex and unknown fear within her. She had no idea what she was walking into.

As she reached the top and came to her father's intricately carved wooden door, she knocked and waited for a response. As she did, she distinctly heard 2 different sets of feet moving inside before the door was opened by Nicholas. This time she had somewhat expected his appearance though and didn't pay much attention to him as she entered.

The office was decorated much the same as she remembered. A large and solid desk took up most of the center of the room, sparsely covered in papers, pens and letters. A deep red carpet covered most of the center as well, matching the crimson drapery that hung from the walls and windows. The one aspect of the room that none could ignore though was the portraits that hung from the wall. Over the fireplace behind the desk was Ambrose himself, poised nobly with blade by his side, while on the other walls were other members of the family. On the right wall was Judith and her brother Braston. It had been years since she had seen him as he had gone with her uncle Fronir to the capital to advise the king when both were young. She certainly missed him as they had been quite close before he left.

Opposite their wall was Fronir's portrait. He was Ambros' younger brother and a trusted rabbit by many. Ambros even trusted him enough to speak on his behalf to the king, and they remain thick as blood with each other to this day. Only one painting was left if she remembered correctly and spared a quick glance behind her, above the door, but there was naught but a blank wall. "You had her taken down." She commented softly.

"Yes. I found myself spending to many days just staring at her, rather than leading." Ambrose said from behind his desk. He was sat in a soft chair and motioned for Judith to take a seat in one of the chairs opposite him. She did just that and heard Nicholas close the door behind her before taking a position off to the side. She was certainly curious why he was still present, but did not feel now was the time to question her father. He had been bearing an air of seriousness since she entered, giving her more than enough of a reason to keep quiet.

After a few seconds of thought, her father began; "I'm not entirely sure where to begin my explanation here. So much has happened in the time you have been gone Judith, and none of it good... for us or Armello. I suppose I should start with the gravest piece of news." Ambros leaned forward, worry etched on his face as he folded his paws together.

"Your uncle Fronir is dead."

"What!?" Judith exclaimed. "What do you mean he's dead? What happened?"

"We're still gathering all the information we can, but right now we know he was executed for crimes against the crown. For treason."

"Uncle would never betray the king! That's ridiculous!" Judith felt like she was going mad all of a sudden. Her uncle was fiercely loyal, his greatest allegiances being to the king and to the family, and he would never willingly betray either.

"We are well aware of the ridiculousness of this accusation, and we are still waiting for more information to come in from our informants, but right now, evidence points to another party being responsible." Ambros replied as gently as he could.

"Another party!?" Nicholas suddenly cut in. "We know exactly who they are. It's those damned scheming rats, same as it always is. They've been making eyes at the crown for years now, and this is them making a move."

"I will ask for your input when necessary guard captain." Ambros dismissed him angrily. Nicholas glared at his lord for a second before moving back to the side, this time leaning onto the wall. "What Nicholas said is simply one of the possibilities. Our family made many enemies to get to where we are, and any of them could have perpetrated this act." While Judith was still processing this information, her thoughts turned to her brother.

"What about Braston... what happened to him?" She knew he was apprenticed to her uncle, so his fate was in the air.

"He was taken into the custody of the crown and has been imprisoned within the castle for a few weeks. Aside from that, I have been assured of his safety." Ambrose did his best to sound reassuring despite Nicholas' scoff at the notion of Braston being safe. "I'm negotiating for his release, but this is an uphill battle diplomatically. So far I've managed to have an arrangement made to bring him here, but the charges of treason remain."

Judith was practically hyperventilating. Her uncle dead, her brother potentially on death's doorstep. She had no idea how to handle any of this. "How could the King allow this? He knew uncle, he knew how loyal he was."

Ambros sighed dejectedly and Nicholas clenched his fists. "Our king... he's failed us."

"What do you mean?"

"King Restus... a wiser and more noble animal has never walked this earth. Were it not for him, the clans would never have united to overthrow the Skithis dynasty and all would still live in tyranny and darkness... Or rather, we would not have had a reprieve from it. Restus has begun a steady descent into madness, not even trusting those closest to him. He has begun to wield the weapons of fear and hatred that his predecessor used, passing laws with little to no consideration of the citizens or his lords. And stories have reached us as well of the horrors he himself is committing. Torture, mass executions, the burning of books and suppression of knowledge. 

His madness worsens with every day, and with every day more laws are passed. I have managed to keep most of them from affecting our lands, but soon enough he will take notice. And I fear more than anything what will happen when he does." Ambros shook his head in grief. It was clear that all of this was hanging over him like a storm cloud, and only small parts of it could be allowed to show. Judith understood his secrecy as well. Should all of this be made public, panic would spread quickly throughout the country. 

"So you had me come back to help you handle everything?" Judith asked. It was the one piece of the puzzle she was still missing. Nothing that had been said so far couldn't have been communicated via a letter.

"I'm actually curious about that as well sir." Nicholas broke in again, inputting without being asked once more but her father seemed to brush it off. That served as another surprise though as it meant her father had told no one of his plans regarding her.

"No. Your purpose here is more significant than that. Your purpose is a mission of grave import that I can trust only to you. Judith..." Ambros rose from his chair and came over to his daughter, grabbing her shoulders tight. "You have to become the next ruler of Armello."

Judith looked around the room, wondering where the tell was that she was in a dream. It was the only reasonable explanation for all of this. Fronir dead, Braston captured and a king on the fast track to madness. There was no way it could ever be real, none of this. She closed her eyes, same as when she would have nightmares as a child, and began to count. When she got to 5 it would be over. She would wake up back in her dorm in Cedemia.

5 seconds later and she had no such luck. She was still in her father's office, and he still looked to her for an answer. There was no waking up from this. Glancing over, she saw a look of extreme shock splattered across Nicholas' face, that gave her a good amount of satisfaction, but it was the equivalent of sprinkling sugar on shit.

"Become the next ruler? You want me to become queen? Of this country? Wh...why? How?" She stammered the questions out in rapid fire.

"Are you sure it's gotta be her as well? I mean, there HAS to be those more qualified." Nicholas said from the side, earning an icy glare from Ambros.

"I have no doubt in my mind that there is no one more qualified than her." He returned his gaze to his daughter. "You must listen to me. I have trained you, prepared you since you were young for this very purpose. Restus never fathered an heir and the likelihood that he will now is slim, add in his madness and we will soon need an animal to deliver us from that fate and it must. Be. You." Ambros put weight into every word that he spoke, emphasizing how important the topic was. Judith, for her part, was gripping the arms of the chair she sat in hard enough that it felt like her bones were about to fly out.

"But why me? You haven't told me that. Why not Braston, or even yourself? Why me?" She repeated. Ambros released her shoulders and began to pace.

"Braston was never suited for power, you and I both know that. He has too much trouble seeing past that boundaries that a separation of species creates. That's why I sent him to the capital, I hoped that a place where all gather and cooperate would open his eyes. He's not ready to lead anything. As for myself..." Ambros paused and looked into the spot above the door that used to be home to her mother's portrait, seemingly lost in memory. "I am in no position to overthrow anything."

"Wait wait wait. What do you mean 'overthrow?'" Nicholas asked. "You want her to lead a revolution?"

"How else would we take the crown?" Ambros fired back.

"The way we discussed! We wait and claim it as the favored house when Restus passes! If we stay in the graces of the people, then the other houses will have no choice but to relent!" Nicholas said.

"You're a fool if you think that that will work." Ambros accused. "If we just allow Restus to pass, the only possible course would be war. The wolves are too proud to relent the crown, the rats have already begun to work their schemes, and the bears would only answer the wolves with force. It would be a massacre in the capital."

"So... a revolution? To overthrow Restus?" Judith asked for clarification, still hoping to wake up.

"Indeed. I brought you back to Armello so you could do this for all of it's citizens. You are the best hope we have at freedom from tyranny."

"Where would I even start?" She asked.

"My best advice would be to gather allies. The leaders for the wolf and bear clans are nearing the end of their lives and have turned to those who will succeed them. If you win them over, you'll have the support that you need." Ambros advised her.

"If your decision is final lord, I will begin to rally troops from our lands. We must be ready for this fight as well." Nicholas began to sift through papers, but was stopped when Ambros grabbed his arm.

"We will be ready, but not by your paws my friend. You'll be going with her." The old rabbit calmly said, in contrast to the loud and shocked "WHAT!?" exclaimed by the others.

Judith was about to protest, but Nicholas beat her to it. "Sir, I've heard you say alot of things I disagree with today, but this crosses the line. My place is here, by your side, defending this land. I can't just let you send me off on some adventure leading who knows where so your daughter can play rebellion!" Though she disagreed with the way he phrased it, Judith made clear that she felt the same about his company. As both were shouting though, Ambros raised his paw for silence, which he got quickly.

"Both of you listen." He said. "Judith. You and your brother are more important to me than anything. So I'm sending Nicholas to keep you safe. While I recognize the necessity for this mission, I also must know you are well and will stay alive. I trust no one more than Nicholas to ensure that. I know you can fend for yourself, but there is still much you don't know when it comes to surviving this land.

And Nicholas. I trust you more than anyone in anything to make sure that she gets through this alive. You have done so much for me over the years, and now I ask for your service and trust once more." In spite of Ambros point, Nicholas continued to protest.

"What about you though sir? Who will be left to train the squires and troops? Who will direct patrols and your armies?" He asked. As captain of the guard, he had been in charge of all of that for years now. It would certainly be strange for him to just up and stop, plus it would put more strain on her father in an already difficult time, but that did not seem to deter him.

"I am more than capable of leading my own troops sir Wyld, just as my father before me did." Judith saw a glint of fire in her father's eyes that she had rarely seen before. "In the end, your presence on this mission is far more important than your work here. A town saved from bandits is little in the face of a country ravaged by a war of succession." He pointed out.

At that point, Nicholas looked like he had run out of things to protest with, and Judith's defense had broken down when her father had pleaded with her, so she said nothing when Ambros asked for any further problems. Nicholas seemed to be rethinking things but said nothing as well. "Good. You both leave tonight then." Both mammals looked again in shock.

"We can't waste any more time, and must act immediately. Had someone not taken so long getting here..." He shot a look at his daughter which caused her to avert gaze. "you would have had more time to prepare. Be ready by sundown. It's then that you ride."


	3. Drinks, a Spy, and a Bar Fight: The Holy Trifecta

The moon sat high in the night sky as the pair of newly made companions road through the Armellan countryside. Neither seemed in a hurry as their steeds maintain a steady trot as farm after farm ambles by, though none were out or awake to notice them. They were now miles from where they had began, and laden with supplies sufficient for days spent on the road, plus weapons to defend themselves with. They were making their way south from Ambros' hold of Burstle in the heart of the western part of the country, headed towards the border of the wolf lands. The slow pace gave Judith time to think as her horse followed behind Nicholas' own.

Leaving her father's castle had gone fairly smoothly. They left just as the sun set beyond the mountains, exiting via a back passageway to avoid prying eyes. Her father hadn't been able to see them off for fear that they be discovered but he had said goodbye when she had left his office, and offered both a warning and a gift.

First had come the gift. His signet ring. The only thing that could definitively prove her identity to the allies she hoped to gain. Without it, she would have no hope of convincing them to her cause. But next came the warning that accompanied the ring. "If you are somehow caught by the royal guard," He had said, "or even worse, whoever is plotting against us, expect no aide to come from me or anyone. Your's is a mission of secrecy and treason of the highest order, and your capture would force my paw. If asked, I will say you fled with this ring in opposition to a political marriage and Nicholas was sent to retrieve you. But if you are caught, I will be forced to denounce the both of you as traitors." After that had come a goodbye and Judith had left to prepare.

Now she took the ring from her pocket to inspect it. It was made of pure gold, and bore her family's symbol on it. Her father had shown it to her when she was young, but this was not how she had imagined inheriting it. "You should keep that hidden." Nicholas said from ahead of her. She looked up and made eye contact as he glanced back. "I'm no fool." She spat at him while she placed it back in her pocket. She could see him roll his eyes as he turned forward. 

Judith spurred her horse forward so she was along side him. "Where are we going exactly anyway? All you said was to follow you." 

"And do you have to know where we're going to follow? Cause I'm pretty sure you don't." He said, keeping his eyes forward in an emotionless stupor.

"Maybe not, but you apparently have to be an ass to get there in the first place, so I'll guess it's your hometown?" She replied. That had earned her a very angry glare from the fox.

"If you truly must now," He relented with a sigh. "there is a small town a short ways from the border into the wolf clan's lands. I've arranged for a contact to meet us at an inn there."

Judith worked to remember the map of Armello well enough to place the name of the town they were going to. Armello itself was largely circular in shape, with that circle cut into five different pieces. The center was a circle as well, but only about a fifth the size. It housed the capital city, Cita, in it's heart, built around the castle that has housed Armellan royalty for generations. The surrounding area was cut into four slices, mostly the same in size, one belonging to the four great Armellan houses. Rabbits to the west in the farms, Wolves to the south in the mountains that crept in from the surrounding lands, Rats to the east in the marsh and riverlands, and lastly Bears to the north in the deep forests. Trying to think up the map of the Rabbit lands, Judith searched for the name of towns near the wolf border.

From what she could tell, they were heading towards the town of Esterdale, well known to be a common stopover for mercenaries looking to escort a merchant through the farmlands. She asked Nicholas just to be sure.

"I'm surprised you can remember the roads well enough to name it." He replied before answering. "That is where we're going, yes. Particularly the Minds Eye tavern."

"Why do we need to meet this contact?" Judith asked. "This whole ordeal seems straightforward enough. Just find the Wolf and Bear leaders and make an alliance." She said as another quiet farm rolled by. She took quick note of the level that the crop of wheat had withered as they went, this farm almost completely consumed.

"And do you remember who those leaders are?" He asked, likely knowing full well she wouldn't. "How about their current whereabouts? Or weaknesses in negotiation? What we need before anything can happen is information." He finished before looking forward once more and moving faster.

"Just who is that information coming from? Can they be trusted?"

"Depends on how much our enemies might offer him." He answered in a dreary tone, not inspiring much confidence in Judith. "Regardless, the information he'll give is good, so it's the best starting point we'll get." Judith nodded to herself in understanding, and turned her eyes to the lands around her once more.

With the Rabbit lands mostly flat save for the occasional roll of hills, one can usually see for quite a distance, even at night like now. An almost full moon shining in the near clear sky gave everything a pale white hue that made time almost seem to slow down. As she looked around, she noticed black spots in otherwise flawless wheat fields that were far to dark to simply be the shadow of a rolling cloud. They were spots where the crop had completely withered and died, leaving behind a series of pitch black blemishes on an otherwise pristine landscape.

But that was far from the most unsettling thing about their surroundings. With no words being exchanged, Judith took notice of a deafening silence that permeated the air around them. No birds on late night hunts, and no insects for them either. Only hoof beats and breathing coming from the mammals and their mounts. It was... unsettling for the rabbit to say the least, as most of her kind were very accustomed to ever present background noise, either from the world around them or their family. Now that she had noticed the silence, it crept closer and closer on her, feeling almost consuming.

"Wh-when did the nights get so quiet?" She asked shakily, desperatly wanting to fill the empty space. Nicholas glanced back at her and seemed to notice the slight panic in her voice and eyes before looking around, looking like he had only just noticed the lack of sound. He hummed lowly in thought.

"About a month ago I would say. Around then was when that blight in the fields started to affect some of the grain stores, and not long after that the insects started to disappear, followed by most of the birds." He explained with an exasperated sigh.

"The blight is in the stores? How much has gone bad?" Judith was concerned with the idea of a dwindling harvest and rotting grain store. If things get to bad, it wouldn't be to far off for the people to blame her father, and that can go very bad very fast.

"What used to be enough to last four years for the province is now down to about three and counting. The scholars are trying everything they can to help prevent it, but they still have no idea what the cause is so there is only so much they can do. A few of the monks from the north that came down to try and determine it, but all they could say was the power of the Wyld was manic in it's behavior here, but offered little else. According to them, nothing can be done to prevent it or stop it, we can only try and adapt."

"Hopefully father has some kind of plan for all this. Even if we are successful, there is likely little we could do to help ourselves." She lamented.

"It's possible he has a plan and he simply didn't tell me. It actually wouldn't shock me at this point, what with our journey being sprung on us." Nicholas still sounded upset about Ambros' whole 'surprise secret mission' thing.

"For now," He continued. "let's focus on the goal ahead." He nodded his head forward as they crested a hill, the mountainous region of the Wolves territory was visible in the distance. The peaks rose mightily from the ground to pierce the clouds high above them, making for an imposing yet beautiful sight. Even though they were visible though, they were still at least another two days ride from their present location, one if they rode through the day and rested the next night. And it was looking like that was the plan as Nicholas showed no signs of slowing.

With conversation having run out between the two, Judith took to fidgeting with metal clasps or reading some of the books she had brought back from Cedemia. This continued for hours as they rode, stopping occasionally to stretch legs and rest the horses, til eventually the sun rose on the horizon. This was when they had to be a bit more careful, as it was entirely feasible, if not likely that they would be recognized by a passerby. So they stuck to side routes rather than main roads and pulled the hoods of the cloaks they wore if someone got too close. It earned them a few suspicious looks, but otherwise the day was uneventful.

A night of rest and another day of riding got them to the base of the mountain range and to the town of Esterdale. It seemed like a quiet little town at the foot of the mountain path that led to the provincial border to the south, but getting closer revealed that to be untrue.

The towns location made farming difficult, so they made money mainly through the sale of alcohol and rooms to travelers. This showed in the streets as inebriated mercenaries stumbled from building to building, shouting, singing and more than occasionally fighting. The pair of travelers slowly made their way through, they passed by a fair number of unconscious mammals groaning in gutters and at least one that Judith was fairly sure was dead. Moving along, they eventually found the Mind's Eye in the middle of town shortly after sundown.

The tavern itself was a short, wooden rectangular building with two stone stacks sticking out the top pouting smoke from fires within. Branching from the back if the main building another rectangle, probably a kitchen, and a stable off of that. Moving round the back, they found the stable and dismounted.

Securing and feeding them, they started to make their way back around to enter, but Nicholas stopped her before they entered. "Remember to let me do the talking at first, OK?" He said with some of the same authority he had addressed his troops with.

"What? You don't trust me to keep a secret?" Judith asked.

"No, but that's not why." He shot back. "Our contact is slow to trust, will recognize you on sight, and nothing is worse for a spy than a high profile client." He explained quickly. "So I'll do the talking at first til he's trusting, then you can take over. That work?" He asked. Judith couldn't really dispute anything he had said, so she nodded in agreement. With that having been settled, Nicholas led the way inside, pushing open a door with a large mystical looking carving of an eye on it.

* * *

 

The inside was loud, packed, and reeked of alcohol to the point that Judith was convinced she'd be drunk soon just from breathing the air. But it was also warm, with heat radiating from a fire situated to the right on the far side, and it was a welcome change from the night air that was taking a dip in temperature. Few took notice of the pair as they moved through the crowd, slipping through between armed mercs towards the bar on the opposite side from the door. Nicholas' head was on a swivel the whole time, presumably looking for the contact, but to no apparent avail.

Once they hit the bar, Nicholas had seemed to give up on finding the contact by just looking. Either that or the pair had beat him there. He gestured for two open spots and sat down at one, followed shortly by Judith. Nicholas ordered himself an ale, and Judith declined a drink, not liking the taste of alcohol herself. Getting a water, they sat in silence for about five minutes, drinking and waiting for what, Judith wasn't sure. She turned to question Nicholas about his surety that this was even where he was supposed to meet him, but was met with a knowing smirk as set his now empty mug down on the counter. Then he started to whistle.

It wasn't a jaunty, happy tune, but rather a slow and solemn one; almost sounding like a dirge in it's tone and pace. His low notes seemed to almost cut through the white noise of the bar, enveloping Judith and moving past her. She looked on in fascination as a few took notice a ways away from the bar, the song weaving it's way through the crowd just as they had.

As it continued, Judith was lulled into a stupor by the melodic tunes of the fox, forgetting for a second what she was doing or who she was with. She started to feel a sense of familiarity with it, recognizing parts from some part of her memory tucked away long ago to be forgotten. As the memory began to surface, and it almost seemed within reach as she closed her eyes to try and remember, a compliment to the song started from behind them. This new addition was a few notes higher, but fit the song perfectly in a way that could have only been by design.

Turning to see who had decided to contribute, she was met with a cross, a mix from two different species. This particular one seemed to be between a wolf and a fox, with silvery grey fur towards the center of his neck that shifted gradually to a rustic orange near the top of his head and back to white that covered his face. His eyes and ears looked almost feline, but were unmistakably the product of fox blood in him, while his general shape and build hinted to the wolf. His clothes and any weapons were hidden by a cloak, just like theirs though, preventing Judith from sizing him up any better. Nicholas turned to face the cross as well, the smirk becoming apparent on his face once more as both finished the song.

"Sorry to make you wait like that. Had to be sure that it was you." The newcomer said to Nicholas while Judith lamented the feeling of that memory slip away from her without the music to help. He spoke in a well educated but not aristocratic accent and moved with the precision of a trained warrior as he motioned for them to follow and walked towards a table he had probably been waiting for them at. Nicholas followed without a word, leaving Judith little option but to follow herself. They sat down in a back corner at a table that seemed almost specifically designed for secret meetings given it's location and the difficulty one would have in seeing it from the other seats inside.

The cross took a seat with his back to the rest of the bar, so Nicholas and Judith took the ones opposite him. Once all were situated, the cross began in earnest. "I suppose an introduction is in order for you Lady Hopps." Judith nodded in response. "The name is Jaren, and I am a spy who helps your father and his allies on occasion, presuming they pay me what I ask for of course."

"Which we usually do." Nicholas interjected.

"Indeed. You have done it this time as well, so I have all the information you could need on your fellow lords and ladies. What were you looking for specifically?" He asked.

"Anything you can give us on the leadership for the Wolf clan first off." Nicholas answered. Jaren, which Judith assumed was in no way his real name, placed a paw on his chin and hummed in thought.

"The Wolves... Well, right now they're led by someone called the 'Den Mother.' Not too much is available on her, other than she is practically ancient in age. Reports and history books place her as around a hundred years old. Her true name has ever been known, and very few meet her in the flesh. Those that do describe an ancient and frail wolf near the end of her life, but also as very spiritual in nature. Imparting the wisdom of her age on those that listen. The only problem is that she claims to be at the end of her life. As a result, eyes have turned to her appointed successor and great great grandchild, Thane."

"She chose that arrogant idiot?" Nicholas cut in. Judith looked to him now and asked. "You know him?"

"Kind of. We had a brief interaction once, long ago, but that and the stories I've heard from others were more than enough to give me a good idea of the kind of mammal he was. He's a self obsessed, stuck up brat who thinks the whole of Armello should bow to him since he knows a few tricks with a sword. Honestly it was all I could do not to challenge him just to shut him up for a few minutes." His anger at the wolf in question seeped into his voice like venom.

"Many were shocked by this decision in the Wolf hierarchy as well." Jaren resumed. "They knew his reputation, so a stipulation was passed. He has to marry in order to lead the clan. The idea is that a wife would grant him some kind of clarity of mind, as well as stay his paw from a blade if he gets to brash for his own good. After a short search, a mate was found in a fellow warrior, River 'The Howling Arrow' Hunstee. A calm and collected ranger, accustomed to life on the frontiers and forests. This has given her immense patience, which she'll need if she'll be married to Thane."

"Where are they now?" Judith asked. She could tell that if she was going to obtain a lasting alliance with the wolf clan, Thane and River were her best bets.

"They're currently roaming the province to learn of the tribulations of their to be subjects while they also make their way to the Great Den, the wolf capital, where the wedding will take place. All are encouraged to talk with them in every town so you should have no trouble finding them once across the border." Jaren rounded out his explanation of current wolf politics. "Was there anyone else you needed to know about?"

"The Bear leader if you can." Judith requested. Jaren nodded and thought.

"The Bears are a bit more complicated right now. They have an appointed leader for every tribe in their province and one that oversees those leaders at the top, I believe they call that one the 'Grand Shaman.' That Shaman has recently passed on and joined the pair, so the competition for succession is now underway. The leader for each of the fourteen tribes has to venture into the wilderness, where either the twins or the Wyld will reveal a deed for them to accomplish. When all is said and done, the leader that gained the most support from other tribes through a completed task deemed worthy of the position, will ascend to be the Grand Shaman. From what I gathered, the competition has been underway for about a week at this point, but how long it will last is anyone's guess."

Judith thought about how to go about an alliance with the bears given this information. They could either go after the successor was chosen and make a deal with them there, or before and try and deal with the most likely winner. "Are there any favorites among the tribes? The ones most likely to win?"

Jaren nodded once more. "There are two. There's Sana, who has garnered heavy support from those of the bears that simply want to devote their lives to studying and understanding the Wyld so they can coexist with it. She advocates for peace between all species, that no one single race should hold dominion over another. This is a vast departure from the other favorite, Brun. He wants to use the knowledge that bears have garnered over the generations to find a way to completely control the Wyld, and use that power to bring about the bear's rule over the whole world, not just Armello. He's got militant levels of support from other warriors around him, and it's starting to look bad up there with the two sides rubbing against each other day after day. Apparently open conflict looks almost inevitable."

"I certainly know who I would prefer to win." Nicholas jibbed flatly, but seemed to be looking of elsewhere in the tavern when Judith turned to him. "I would have to say the same."  _Regrettably._ She added silently. The amount that she had to agree with fox during this trip so far was almost nauseating her.

"Indeed. His ultimate plans of domination are still hidden from most for the moment. I only became aware of it through a leak in his supporters, and that leak was very quickly silenced before I could learn much else." Jaren continued to explain, having now taken notice of Nicholas' distant stare. "Is something wrong?" He asked. The question brought the fox back to the table where he glanced from Jaren to Judith.

"Depends on what you think of some rats passing coin to mercs and then pointing at our table."

* * *

Nicholas had been watching the rats from the moment he and Judith had entered, and for good reason too. They had been sticking to the shadows from the beginning, trading glances with him from time to time, but his awareness of seemed to keep them out of earshot.

It was once they had left the shadows and approached a sizable pair of boars that Nicholas had started staring outright though. He watched as the one of the two rats drew out pouches that bulged with gold, gestured to the table he sat at, and assuming Nicholas had read it's lips correctly, gave a command to mount the traitors on spikes outside of town. He looked once more at the pair of mammals also at his table who had worried faces at the warning he had just issued them.

"Damnit!" Jaren cursed quietly. "They must have found me after I lost them." Nicholas spun his head to the cross in a rapid shift to anger.

"You were followed by rats and didn't mention it!? Are you absolutely daft!?" He fumed at Jaren. The boars were still getting closer though, so he had to put his anger aside and do something. If they got cornered at the table, Judith might come to harm before he could secure an escape path. Even if they disagreed, it was still his mission to defend her at all costs, and he did not intend to fail. He turned now to his charge, hatching a quick plan in that moment. "Once the fighting starts, I'll take care of anyone with a sword. You two take the opportunity to stay low and get out."

"Why should I run away? I can fight just as well, you know." Judith protested.  _Not as well as I can._ Nicholas thought, but instead said something that might actually convince her to leave. "You're not running, you're waiting outside to try and catch the rats as they try and flee the scene. We might be able to learn something if we get them." Before either could protest further, Nicholas stood from the table and began to move towards the still approaching boars. They seemed to be a few sheets to the wind, so they were more wobbling than walking.

"Gentlemammals, isn't there a way to solve this without violence?" He said, almost fully knowing that there was no way they would. This would be proven as the boar in the front drew his blade. "That's a no then."

As the boar got close, he took a swing at the still unarmed fox, but his drunken state made it quite easy to dodge. He side stepped clear of a downward slice before grabbing the boar's wrist and twisting, forcing the blade out of his hoof. Grabbing the now free blade as it fell, Nicholas bent the other mammal's arm around his back before making him now face his comrade, only to be stabbed by that comrade's blade that had been meant for Nicholas. The stabbed boar went limp quickly, so Nicholas pushed the now dead weight forward. As the second boar staggered under the sudden addition, Nicholas took the blade he had grabbed and stabbed though both of his attacker's throats, making a very gruesome spit from the two.

As both boars fell to the floor dead, blood spilling from their necks, the fox realized the clash had garnered all attention in the tavern. The eyes of every animal was on him standing over his enemies, and Nicholas knew the attention to be a familiar feeling. He'd been in enough bar fights and fought off enough paid killers to know exactly what was about to happen. "Alright look. Before we start killing each other, for the purpose of a bet as to how I die, how many of you are about to be  _paid_ to try and kill me?" Nicholas watched as a good number of the other patrons stared in confusion before eight scattered throughout the room tentatively raised their paws/hooves, and Nicholas made note of their faces. "Alright, fair enough. Let's go." He finished and drew his sword.

As soon as he did that, chaos descended on the tavern. Blades were drawn, hidden knives pulled, bottles smashed, and Nicholas even caught sight of a few crossbows. As far as he could tell, some were fighting to get to him, but others were just fighting for the hell of it, and seemed to be having a good time too. He didn't really have too much time to observe the other fighters here as an attacker came at him from his right. A mace was being swung wide at him, so he backpedaled from his spot towards the bar itself, feeling with his tail to make sure he wouldn't hit a stool. The same attacker tried to bring his mace down on Nicholas' head this time, so the fox swung his blade to swat it aside so it only made contact with the wood of the bar, splinters shooting up from the impact as it stuck in place.

Before Nicholas could attack the mace wielder back, another attacker came from the left with blade in paw, making to slash across his chest. Improvising, Nicholas grabbed a stool to use as a shield, catching the swing with it's legs. Using the stool, he swung the foe's blade high and brought it down to the bar, leaving the mammal open. He took the opportunity to stab him in the side through the heart before turning and pulling the blade out to cut the throat of the mace wielder as he was raising his weapon after freeing it to strike again. The mammal fell with an accompanying rain of blood as Nicholas turned to the next threat, a set of three crossbows leveled at him from across the room.

Raising the stool still held in his paw and thinking a prayer, he felt two heavy thumps hit it and a sharp pain from his shoulder. Looking down, he saw that one had glanced him, drawing blood, while the others had been caught by the stool by the grace of the Pair, keeping his throat and heart bolt free. Looking to the archers, they were trying to reload as quickly as possible while their friends protected their flanks from the rest of the brawlers. Weighing his options, Nicholas charged forward, directly towards a mountain lion in the center. Jumping and sliding across the table between them, Nicholas planted both feet in her chest, knocking her down flat. Before she could start to rise, he slammed the open end of the stool down on her head, crushing her throat before twisting hard and snapping it with a loud and sickening crack.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nicholas could see one of the archers had managed to reload his crossbow and was moving to shoot it point blank. Nicholas could only hit him with the stool in time to stop the bolt from hitting him, and instead having it fly off into the distance, his improvised shield finally shattering to splinters from it's repeated use. As the archer reeled from the hit, he stabbed it low in the gut before ripping his blade straight up, cutting the mammal open from navel to neck, with Nicholas twisting around as he did so the force he used to cut the first would transfer to a downward strike on the skull of the second, cracking it open as both remaining archers fell over dead in a large shower of viscera.

By now, the tavern was thick with the stench of blood as the fight changed from a bar brawl to a battle for survival, the wooden planks below Nicholas' paws soaked as he breathed in deep the putrid scent around him. Looking frantically for his next enemy, for the next threat, and found it quickly as the 5 remaining mammals he had accounted earlier surrounded him. Not seeing a way out, Nicholas smirked as he felt a greatly missed feeling well in his chest.

Fear...

As it rose, he began to put it to use. He did as he had been trained to and use the fear of death to begin to sharpen his senses, enhance his strength, and lastly to cloud his mind. As his vision became nothing but a foggy red, he knew his grin had grown as he raised his blade once more towards a mammal with the telltale flicker of regret in his eyes.

It was only what felt like an eternity later that the fog cleared from his mind, granting him the clarity to look at the remnants of the battle.

Suffice to say, the tavern had been almost completely destroyed in the turmoil. Nicholas couldn't see a single intact table or chair, and blood had mixed with viscera and alcohol to produce an abhorrent odor that permeated the place, and truly gave a stench of death, and it was fitting with the amount of dead bodies present. Many were heaped in mounds here and there, but quite a few were just scattered. Draped over the remains of the bar, or the splintered body of a table, no matter where you looked, there was a corpse, even one roasting in the open fire. Looking at himself for a second, what was left of his cloak and all of his clothes were soaked in blood, only a small amount of it his own, produced by a few shallow cuts, his fur matted down with the substance as well. Grabbing his sword from the spot where it had ended up at some point, which was embedded in the top of a stack of three bodies, he began to prowl the dead, finding and confirming the death of those that had been paid to end his life. Swiping the ill gotten coin from the mercs, and granting mercy to those that were still breathing but near death, he left the tavern as the only survivor of the blood bath. "I hope those two managed to get those rats." He said to himself as walked out, hearing passerby's cries for the royal guard.

* * *

 Judith had watched as the two boars bodies had hit the floor, and when all eyes had turned to the initial conflict as steel was drawn. She thought about staying and fighting instead of doing what Nicholas had said, but then she watched as Jaren had done as asked once the fight really started. Still debating, she happened to catch sight of the rats that had been mentioned as they slipped out a rear exit. Sighing in conceit, Judith ducked down and slipped through the fighting to eventually get behind the bar. She could hear the fighting going on above her things repeatedly slammed the top of the counter, with the dead armor clad face of a mammal slumped down in front of her, followed shortly by a crossbow bolt impacting and shattering a glass near her.

Moving faster now, she managed to finally get out the same exit to the kitchen that the rats had used, only to find an empty kitchen and an open window leading to the stables by her internal map. Focusing her hearing, she quickly determined none were hiding here and moved to the window. Looking out, she examined the area outside.

From what she could tell, no horses were missing, including her's and Nicholas', so they must be running on foot to watch from a distance. Climbing out, she once more followed the path round to the front in time to see Jaren tuck and roll as he flew through the open door of the bar. Seeing he had landed without injury, Judith scanned the surrounding crowd for the rats, just barely catching sight of one as they slipped behind a passerby.

Not wanting to allow an escape, Judith lowered herself and felt her muscles tense in preparation for the chase. Jaren had raised his head to look to her, only to watch as the rabbit released that tension with an explosion of movement. In an instant, she had not only crossed the twenty or so feet to Jaren, but blown past him to the edge of the crowd and launched herself skyward, up and over the gathering as she tucked into a roll for the landing.

Looking up after that, she quickly found the fleeing rats around a hundred feet ahead and moving at good pace. She had not slowed her movement though, and carried the force of her roll into a refreshed run. Once more, Judith lowered herself onto all fours and became almost lightning in speed. It only took some twenty seconds for her to catch the rats at her top speed. Using her speed and force to carry her, she made a small jump and half flipped during it, feeling her hind-paws connect with the back of one of her prey.

Knocking down the one she had pounced upon as she rode on his back through the dirt, she drew her blade from the umbrella that had been looped to her side. Once the rat under her feet came to a halt, she heard a small blade be drawn behind her. Turning to greet the other rat blade first, she saw a dirk in his paws.

She quickly pushed forward towards him, striking with quick stabs and feints at his arms and legs, a few landing as the rat struggled to keep up with blocks and parries. It was fair to say she had it all well in paw until the song of another blade being drawn came from the direction of the once grounded foe. Using her superior agility compared to her opponents, Judith pivoted around so she now faced both the threats.

Given the reprieve of Judith's momentary disengagement, both rats now fell into a small formation, their stances complimenting each other, hinting to a fair amount of shared combat experience. Pushing once more, Judith once more began her furious flurry of strikes, but now found it very difficult to land an attack at all, even having to shift to a defensive stance at times.

On one such shift, moving her weight to her rear leg to block a blow from the right, she caught glimpse of a strike from the other. Allowing the first strike to move over her blade as she relaxed her arm, Judith now pirouetted, but had not reacted in time to avoid the blow. She felt the sharp sting of the blade of the second rat catch her side as she spun in the direction of the blade's force, hissing under her breath. Moving through the pain, Judith finished rotation as both rats were caught in the follow through of their strikes. Judith took advantage of the opening and struck with a vicious stab to the thigh of the one that had cut her.

She winced as he howled in pain, a jet of crimson arcing from the wound as she pulled her blade free. He collapsed as his wounded leg could no longer support him, dropping his blade to the ground as he did. As Judith readied herself for the next blow from her remaining opponent, her empty paw found and held her wounded side. It was a small cut and would heal quickly, but she could still feel the blood seeping through her robes.

With her wound in mind, Judith weighed her options as she and the rat circled each other, each waiting for an opening in the other's defenses. She needed to finish it quickly, lest she risk her injury becoming a real problem, but could find no chances being presented to begin an offensive on the rat. That only left her other option, feign an opening and strike before his blade could land. 

Just as she was about to enact this plan though, the familiar shape of Jaren leapt from the shadows onto the rat's back, the surprise grapple forcing him to the ground. Once his face had hit the dirt, Jaren used his greater strength to force the paws of the rat together before stabbing a dagger through both and into the ground underneath. A similar howl of anguish as his comrade left his lips as the rat now found himself pinned beneath the cross, and his paws nailed to the ground.

Judith lowered her blade from her tensed defensive stance and glanced to the one she had stabbed. He remained on the ground, keeping his paws pressed into his wound to staunch the bleeding, affording her the opportunity to relax as Jaren stood, keeping his weight on the back of the rat under him as he did.

"Pair you're fast." The cross commented with a slight wheeze.

"So I can out run anything I can't kill." She answered with a slight wince as she sheathed her sword, accidentally twisting her torso to do it.

"Fair-nuf. You alright?" He asked with a glance to her side.

"I'll be fine, just need a bandage and some herbs. What do we do these two?" She asked back.

"Two rat spies? I would never pass up this kind of opportunity for some... learning." He said the last part with a toothy grin and a chuckle, leaving little mystery to his words true meaning. "Just need to move them somewhere safe for the lessons."

"Maybe some horses will help?" Came Nicholas' voice from the direction of the bar where the incident had started. The first thing Judith noticed was both their horses being led behind the fox, assumedly having grabbed them after the fight was done. The next was the color shift of the fox's fur, it having gone from a fiery red to a deep and dark crimson that was leaving a slight trail with every step as it dripped from his cloak.

Jaren had turned to the voice as well, but didn't seem perturbed by the fox's appearance. "They very much will. I have nice cozy shack in the range south of here. Load em up and we'll get out of here before the guard catch up." 

Judith found herself liking that plan as she had no desire to clash with the golden clad knights. Moving to the side of her chestnut mount, she readied to stabalize her wound so they could make for this shack of Jaren's, and maybe learn just what in Pair's name is going on here.


End file.
